Out of Commission Quotes

“When I think of overcoming obstacles, I’m reminded of one our West Coast Baptist College graduates, Nathan Kinoshita, missionary to Tokyo, Japan. When Nathan and his wife, Ruth, went to Tokyo to begin church planting, the city was credited as the most expensive city in the world in which to live. It bumps up and down on the list (as of this writing, it is the sixth most expensive city), but it remains high. The expense not only impacted their personal living needs (for $2,500 per month, they rent a five hundred-square-foot apartment for their family of five), but it impacted their ministry needs as well. To rent even a small building in which to hold services for three hours each Sunday costs them $7,000 per month. On top of that, Japan is not known as a mission field that is particularly responsive to the gospel. So the Kinoshitas were looking at months, possibly years, before a self-supporting church would be established. Many people would have said, “It can’t be done. It’s too expensive. There are too many obstacles. The people don’t want to hear anyway.” I’m thankful Nathan Kinoshita didn’t say that. He found an apartment for his family and rolled up his sleeves and went to work sharing the gospel. Today, a mere five and a half years later, the City Baptist Church of Tokyo is strong, healthy, and growing. Obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off the goal. Passion is what we need to overcome the obstacles.”
― Paul Chappell, Out of Commission: Getting Every Christian Back to the Great Commission

“Too many Christians today have gotten distracted with entitlement and have forgotten responsibility. While we squabble about issues of “liberty,” we neglect a world literally dying and going to Hell.”
― Paul Chappell, Out of Commission: Getting Every Christian Back to the Great Commission

“Christ commissioned the local church to be His vehicle for reaching the world with the gospel.”
― Paul Chappell, Out of Commission: Getting Every Christian Back to the Great Commission

“Somewhere there is a disconnect between the priorities we claim and the actions we practice.”
― Paul Chappell, Out of Commission: Getting Every Christian Back to the Great Commission